As is tradition with the BETA Project at this point, the team made a trip up to the Rockford Quarry in northeast Iowa to have a day of field work training and fossil collecting. Team members got up bright and early on a Sunday morning to have a chance to learn how to properly measure, record, and break off rock samples. For many it was their first time seeing a Jacob's staff or swinging a rock hammer, but by the end of the day they were well acquainted with the equipment!
While for some the measuring techniques were new, they weren't the only challenging part of the day as Will pointed out... "The hardest part of the day was trying to stand on steep and muddy clay slopes." Without fail, Rockford Quarry was up to its old habits. Since it is a really clay rich area, the mud caused a bit of an obstacle to overcome, plus it warranted the return of a little field yoga! |
With all the fun and challenge, like every time the team goes to the Rockford Quarry, it is hard to leave without learning something new. A few of the team members made note of what they took away from the experience.
"It was my third or fourth field expedition and I need to get better shoes for the next field trip. Also, when the members of the team have known each other for a little longer, field trips get more fun and productive. Physically, I should probably go to the climbing wall more often than I do since I was pretty tired afterwards and mentally, I should try to finish my lab reports before the field trips!" -Juliana
"I learned the importance of making accurate measurements of strata, even when everything is wet and muddy. You need to take the time to get the measurements right and take correct and complete notes. The work you do will be of little use if you don’t get it right." -Will
"It was my first time doing a trip like this. I visited the Rockford Quarry when I was in 3rd grade but I hadn’t been back until this past Sunday. I learned how to use a Jacob’s staff and how to take notes for a geological survey that would allow others to recreate our measurements." -Nicole
"I learned that the best conditions for climbing rocky hills are the day after a mild rainfall. The hardest part of the day was using my calf muscles way more than normal." -Emma
At the end of the day the group left with new skills, muddy clothes, and, of course, plenty of fossils for outreach events!